Some French players hurried to embrace their family members and fans in the stands, others gathered in celebration in the middle of the court.

Seconds later, one towering figure in a blue singlet entered the mixed zone with only a trace of quiet content on his face.

"It was a good win but it is still only a semi-final win," France captain Boris Diaw told the hungry media who were hoping for a pompous statement on the historical occasion.

He sounded almost as if he was trying to underplay the significance of the result and switch attention to Sunday's final.

"Definitely, that was one of the problems we had two years ago going into the final," Diaw told fibaeurope.com on the eve of France's title game with Lithuania.

"[In 2011] the difference between us being so happy for winning the semi-final, because we hadn't been there before, and Spain, was very clear."

"We were laughing the next day all happy at lunch, at dinner, and I could see, because we were at the same place, that the team of Spain was very focused on the final.

"I remember clearly telling myself 'oh, it's so relaxed and they are all focused', but at the same time it was hard for us to do anything different because we were really so happy.

"But that's what experience is.

"It means going to a big event like this, going to the final one time and the next time you are here you think 'ok, we've won the semi-final, we are in the final again we've been here before, but we just showed up'.

"The leaders of the team, Boris, Tony [Parker], Florent Pietrus all said 'let's celebrate tonight in the locker rooms, on the bus, but when back at the hotel, let's just get some treatment and get some sleep'," Batum told fibaeurope.com.

"We have to get back to work in the morning, because we have one more game to accomplish something."

A CAPTAIN HUMBLE IN VICTORY

Tony Parker knows his captain better than most, growing up playing with him for French age-grade teams, and to this day they continue to share the court for club and nation.

Diaw is not a party-spoiler. He is a 31-year-old veteran who has observed Spain's approach to success for years and has also witnessed first-hand the mentality of champions on winning sides, like Pau Orthez earlier in his career or San Antonio recently.

"It's the same thing with the Spurs," Diaw said.

"They've been in the [NBA] finals so many times and they've won so many things, that they have this culture of being really humble in victory.

"You are happy to get there, it's good, take it, take this happiness, but at the same time don't lose your focus."

Tony Parker has been playing alongside Diaw ever since the duo were little kids.

"With Boris it is an unbelievable story, starting together at INSEP and playing in the national team every summer and then at the Spurs, it's been very lucky to share all these moments with the same guy," Parker said.

"Boris is the voice of the team, helping the guys out, and he is doing a great job as the captain.

"It's an unbelievable journey, so many memories up and down, and if we win this game all that has happened before will be worth it."

Big man Alexis Ajinca is playing in his first major tournament with the senior national team in Slovenia and is impressed with the role its captain has within this group.

"Boris is the heart of the team, always pushing us and showing us how to do things the right way, he knows the game perfectly, like a second coach," Ajinca said.

"We just follow whatever he has to say because he is a great guy and has so much experience, we always try to learn from him."